WNC Health Network

Supporting healthy and thriving communities and care systems
in Western North Carolina.

WNC Health Network is an alliance of hospitals working together to improve health and healthcare in western North Carolina.

For more than 20 years, our member hospitals, public health partners, and staff have joined together to achieve excellence in community health improvement through collaboration, innovation, and best practice.

Together, we contribute to strong care systems and healthy and thriving communities. We align and connect key partners for greater impact, strengthen regional and local capacity with a focus on measurable results, and promote a culture of excellence and innovation.

“The level of collaboration between hospitals and public health departments in western North Carolina is unique and special. I’ve never experienced it before in my career.”

Jackie MedlandMission Health

“The greatest value is the technical assistance and support to create and use consistent, efficient, innovative products and processes across WNC. Networking amongst public health and health systems creates opportunities for growth and collaboration across both.”

Jan ShepardBuncombe County HHS

“[WNC Health Network’s] support takes many forms – from providing technical assistance and trainings, to gathering data and helping us understand what it means, to listening and helping us work through problems and form innovative ideas. Their support is extremely valuable, and has allowed me to take ownership of my position at my agency and feel more confident and prepared when working with my community.”

Janelle MesserJackson County Department of Public Health

“Their greatest value is providing a robust space for hospitals and health departments to collectively learn and assess community need.”

Milton ButterworthPardee Hospital

“WNC Healthy Impact is able to connect the region, facilitate relationship building, and make the region strong and successful. Having the support and guidance of WNC Healthy Impact motivates me to explore my job and responsibilities, ask questions, and provide the best services and experiences I can to the community.”

Lyndsey HendersonMacon County Public Health

“The greatest value of WNC Healthy Impact to my community is supporting a better and more robust community health improvement process. The greatest value to the region is that it brings us together and promotes unity.”

Deana StephensMadison County Health Department

“WNC Healthy Impact has been immeasurably helpful in building my capacity and empowering me to do important work in my community. I feel like I’m getting things done that make a difference instead of just ‘checking the boxes’ that are required of me, mostly because of their training and assistance.”

Tara RybkaTransylvania Public Health

“WNC Health Network greatly increased our knowledge and skill in conducting listening sessions and focus groups, as well as aggregating and analyzing narrative data. It will help the less-heard be listened to. It provided invaluable help in getting to our result of a richer data picture toward Tribal community health improvement.”

“WNC Health Network helped move our Transitions to Care team from talk to action using the RBA Whole Distance Exercise. Our group now better understands the process and has a clearer understanding of how to move forward.”

Tammy DillsHarris Regional Hospital

“After our training with WNC Health Network, our coalition is more aware of how the CHA process will work. They are also more empowered; they were asked to possibly become involved in a data team and had the chance to share what data they might contribute.”

Megan HauserHaywood County Health and Human Services

“WNC Health Network has helped me better understand the methodology behind collecting some of the data we need. I truly appreciate the Network’s willingness to attend our coalition meeting to begin building the skills of our assessment team to conduct an evaluation of our work thus far. Building our capacity to do this type of work is much more sustainable than having to always rely on an outside evaluator.”

“This is an incredibly innovative and impactful initiative and we are grateful to be part of it.”

Emma OlsonNorth Carolina Center for Health & Wellness

“WNC Health Network brought some new facilitation strategies and expertise to a challenging group process, leading to a better outcome than likely I would have achieved on my own. It’s a pleasure to work with the Network’s smart, helpful, pleasant, amazing staff! It is always a great, collaborative experience.”